TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • Akufo-Addo did not say he will sack Ofori-Atta, Adu Boahen – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu clarifies

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Suame MP and Majority Leader, has explained portions of a statement he signed, in which President Akufo-Addo pleaded with some Majority MPs to allow Ken Ofori-Atta conclude Ghana’s negotiations with the IMF and present the 2023 budget. The appeal came after the majority MPs organised a press conference to demand the finance minister’s removal from office.

    According to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, the president when he met the Majority MPs did not categorically say he will dismiss Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, after the IMF negotiations and 2023 Budget reading and appropriation.

    He explained in a Joy News interview monitored by GhanaWeb that, “the President did not say that. To quote his words, he said ‘let’s finish with this, the IMF and the budget thereafter, we should hold on until after these’.”

    Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu continued that the president’s statement could result in an ‘either or’ decision.

    “It could be. I mean, either of them is subject to interpretations that ‘okay hold on after the events then we come back and discuss,’ or ‘hold on after the event I will act.’

    “’I will act’ may not necessarily mean that ‘I will do that’. According to what the President told us, you hold on until…so it could be that ‘I’ll come back to consider it’ or ‘I’ll give in to your demands’.

    “The plea was – hold on until after these events, the IMF discussions and the budget. In fact, I even added when there appeared to be some unclarity about what happens after the presentation of the budget, I said no if the budget is presented by a person, you’d require that same person to shepherd the appropriations.

    “And that is how come for the avoidance of doubt I said let us include the appropriation so that there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that after the budget has been read then agitations will start again,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted.

    About 95 NPP MPs demanded the immediate dismissal of the Finance Minister.

    The MPs at a press conference stated that the continuous stay of Ken Ofori-Atta in office was delaying the IMF bailout the country is seeking due to the fact that the Minister has lost all credibility.

    They demanded the President to either remove him or face a boycott of his business in Parliament.

    The President, however, appealed to them for more time for the embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to conclude negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) before any talks of resignation.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Taronga Zoo: Five lions escape exhibit at Sydney zoo

    Five lions have sparked a brief emergency at an Australian zoo after escaping from their enclosure.

    The animals – one adult and four cubs – were spotted outside their exhibit at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo about 6:30 local time on Wednesday (22:30 GMT Tuesday).

    The zoo was put in lockdown and one cub had to be tranquillised but all lions were secured within minutes, a spokesman said. No-one was injured.

    An explanation for the escape has not been given.

    But zoo executive director Simon Duffy called it a “significant incident” that would be investigated.

    He told local media the lions had entered a small area “adjacent” to their exhibit – about 100m from where guests were staying at the zoo overnight. The main zoo was closed at the time.

    “At no time did the lions exit that [adjacent] area or exit Taronga Zoo,” he said.

    Mr Duffy added the small area was protected by a six-foot fence usually used to keep people at a safe distance, and the entire zoo was surrounded by a perimeter fence.

    CCTV footage had shown that a keeper raised the alarm within 10 minutes of the escape, the zoo said.

    Staff responded quickly to move all people on the site to safe locations, according to Mr Duffy. Four of the lions “calmly made their way back” to their enclosure.

    The lion exhibit will remain closed until further inspections to make sure it is “100% safe”, Mr Duffy added.

    Animal escapes at Australian zoos are rare.

    In 2009, a lioness escaped its enclosure at Mogo Zoo, south of Sydney, and had to be shot dead because of the danger it posed to the public.

     

    Source: BBC

  • Israel elections: Benjamin Netanyahu set for dramatic comeback, exit polls say

    Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on course for victory in the country’s general election, exit polls say.

    The projections give his right-wing bloc a slim majority of seats over his centre-left opponents led by current Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

    Such a result would mark a dramatic comeback for Mr Netanyahu, toppled last year after 12 straight years in power.

    “We are close to a big victory,” he told jubilant supporters in Jerusalem.

    The election was widely seen as a vote for or against Mr Netanyahu’s return.

    The exit polls suggest Mr Netanyahu’s bloc will command 61 or 62 seats in the 120-seat knesset (parliament). Initial results are expected in the coming hours.

    Mr Netanyahu, accompanied by his wife Sara, appeared at his Likud party’s election night venue at 03:00 (01:00 GMT) to thunderous applause.

    “We have won a huge vote of confidence from the people of Israel,” he told his cheering supporters.

    Since the exit polls were announced hours earlier when voting ended, the room had been a scene of celebration as people jumped up and down, waved flags and chanted Netanyahu’s nickname, Bibi. One man repeatedly blew a shofar, or ram’s horn, a ritual instrument used by some Jewish people at times of special significance.

    At his party’s camp in Tel Aviv however, Prime Minister Lapid told his supporters that “nothing” was yet decided and his centre-left Yesh Atid party would wait for the final results.

    Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Yair Lapid (file photo)
    Mr Netanyahu is forecast to replace Yair Lapid, who toppled him just over a year ago

    Mr Netanyahu, 73, is one of Israel’s most controversial political figures, loathed by many on the centre and left but adored by Likud’s grassroots supporters.

    He is a firm supporter of Israel’s settlement-building in the West Bank, occupied since the 1967 Middle East war. Settlements there are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

    He opposes the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict – a formula supported by most of the international community, including the Biden administration in the US.

    Mr Netanyahu is also currently on trial for alleged bribery, fraud and breach of trust – charges he fiercely denies. His possible partners in a Likud-led coalition government have said they would reform the law, in a move which would bring a halt to his trial.

    According to the exit polls, Likud stands to be the biggest party, with 30-31 seats, commanding a majority with the support of nationalist and religious parties.

    Yesh Atid, which led the coalition which brought down Mr Netanyahu in elections last year, is forecast to win 22-24 seats.

    Likud’s ultra-nationalist ally Religious Zionism appears to have won 14 seats, which would make it the third largest party. Its leaders have gained notoriety for using anti-Arab rhetoric and advocating the deportation of “disloyal” politicians or civilians.

    “It will be better now,” said Religious Zionism supporter, Julian, at the party’s venue in Jerusalem.

    “When [Religious Zionism politician Itamar Ben-Gvir] will be minister of public security, it will be even better – he’ll bring back security to the people of Israel. That’s very important.”

    However, political scientist Gayil Talshir, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, warned that if the exit polls “reflect the real results, Israel is on its way to become Orban’s Hungary”, recently branded an “electoral autocracy” by the EU.

    If the polls are confirmed, it will stave off the prospect of a sixth election in just four years after analysts predicted deadlock.

    It would mark a remarkable turnaround for Mr Netanyahu, whose political future was widely written off after Mr Lapid formed an unlikely alliance of ideologically diverse parties to take power in June 2021, with the uniting aim of making it impossible for Mr Netanyahu to form a government.

    At the time, Mr Netanyahu vowed to bring it down as quickly as possible and one year later the coalition government concluded it could not survive and collapsed after resignations meant it no longer had a majority.

     Source: BBC

  • ‘It’s been frustrating’ – NDC’s Grace Ayensu-Danquah explains why she abandoned election petition

    The Essikado-Ketan Parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 polls, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has pulled out of her case against the New Patriotic Party’s Joe Ghartey, MP for the same constituency, who, she insists, was fraudulently declared the winner by the Electoral Commission.

    Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s decision, according to her, is because of disappointment and frustration, especially as the case, which has dragged on for close to two years, with no end in sight, continues to drain her time and commitment towards rejuvenating the party at the constituency level.

    Dr Ayensu-Danquah, who is an American-trained Burn Reconstructive Surgeon, has also debunked syndicated media reports suggesting she was fined for chickening out of the case.

    According to her, Counsel for the plaintiffs demanded GHC500,000 but the Judge, Justice Richmond Osei Hwere, declined the request and instead handed them (the 1st and 2nd respondents, i.e. the Electoral Commission and Joe Ghartey) the initial GHC20,000 deposited to settle administrative fees.

    The 2020 Essikado-Ketan NDC candidate in her petition to the Sekondi High Court, cited several infractions during the coalition of votes which changed the figures in favour of the incumbent MP, Joe Ghartey.

    She avers that illegality resulted in the EC declaring results based on the second respondent, Joe Ghartey’s own pink sheets, which gave him — 26,701 valid votes compared to the NDC candidate — 24,527, while Ghana Union Movement’s (GUM), Frank Cobbinah Parliamentary candidate polled just 629.

    The petitioner however insisted that her “own collated results from the figures declared after counting at polling stations were that the first respondent obtained 26,299 valid votes while the petitioner had 26,336 valid votes, making the petitioner the obvious winner, but the second respondent declared otherwise.”

    But Dr Grace Ayensu, in her termination plea before Court raised a number of concerns.

    That to date she and her lawyer, Daniel Ametepe, have complied fully with all orders of the High Court and have pursued the matter with the utmost zeal and diligence but the 1st Respondent has not yet complied with pre-trail orders of the Court by the failure to file his witness statement and pre-trial checklist.

    That 20 months after she first filed the action, a lot of water has gone under the bridge and upon serious reflection and consultation, “I have decided to let go and rather help my party focus on the future reorganisation as Election 2024 is not too far away,” she explained.

    She has since described twists on the development and the Court’s decision to fine her as mischievous and lacks appreciation of how the case travelled and her reason to move on.

    “It is left with just about two years to the next elections but because of this case, not much in terms of development is happening in Essikado-Ketan, but just confusion,” her lawyer, Mr Daniel Ametepe, explained to journalists, after the hearing.

    “We filed a witness statement for three witnesses to come before the court to narrate what happened on the 7th and 8th of December 2020 because we had a case,” he continued: “Joe Ghartey’s lawyer filed a motion for the case to be dismissed but he lost that case and still went ahead to file an appeal to that ruling.”

    “Even the appeal that Joe Ghartey made his lawyer file, he is not pursuing it,” Mr Ametepe noted, indicating: “This is all to create uncertainty in the High Court.”

    “So, the processes that we have taken to terminate the case [are] part of the rules of the court. That is why the judge granted our case of discontinuation,” he concluded.

  • ‘Who is that corrupt businessman?’ – Manasseh demands identity of pro-Ofori-Atta ‘mediator’

    Manasseh Azure Awuni has demanded the identity of a businessman who reportedly moved in to negotiate the intra-party demand for Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to be removed from office.

    Citing a steep economic decline, some 80 plus lawmakers from the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, demanded Ofori-Atta’s removal as a minister but stood down the demand after a meeting with the president on two conditions.

    It has emerged, however, that a businessman had tried to influence the calls for the minister’s sacking.

    It is the identity of the said businessman that the investigative journalist is demanding from the ‘breakaway’ NPP MPs who were led by Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP for Asante Akim North.

    In two tweets posted on November 1, Manasseh demanded answers on the who, what and why of the ‘transaction.’ “Who is that corrupt businessman who bribed or attempted to bribe the NPP MPs to make a U-turn on Ken Ofori-Atta’s sacking?

    “The 80+ NPP MPs must come clean on the back of Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s revelation. Who’s that businessman? What did he give them?

    What Majority Leader said about unnamed businessman

    Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, revealed in an interview with Joy News that a renowned businessman tried to influence the decision of the majority caucus of Parliament over their demands for Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s sack.

    According to him, he was informed that the businessman came to Parliament to meet some members of the majority caucus on the matter to intervene for Ofori-Atta but was sent packing.

    He, however, added that he could not confirm whether the businessman offered the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) bribes.

    “I [am] not privy to whatever inducement that people are offering… I [was] told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something. He is a wealthy businessman that I know.

    “I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way. What he thinks the problem is and tried (to mediate). That is all that I know.

    “But he was repelled by the people. I am told he was informed not to involve himself. That is all that I know; I don’t know of another thing,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said in the interview monitored by GhanaWeb.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Manston migrant centre like a zoo, says asylum seeker

    Ahmed – not his real name – said people at the Manston processing centre were treated like “animals” with 130 people forced to share a single large tent.

    Over 4,000 migrants have reportedly been held at the camp – meant to host just 1,600 – in recent days.

    But Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has insisted numbers are coming down.

    Ahmed – who left the centre on Monday after 24 days there – described being forced to sleep on the floor, and being prevented from going to the toilet, taking a shower or going outside for exercise.

    He also said people were prevented from calling their families to let them know they had made the crossing to the UK safely.

    “For the 24 days I’m in there, I can’t call to my family to say to them I’m dead, I’m living – they don’t know anything about me,” he said.

    “All people in there, they have a family. They should know what is happening to us.”

    Manston, a former military base in Kent, opened as a processing centre in February for the growing number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats. Migrants are meant to be held there for short periods of time while undergoing security and identity checks.

    They are then supposed to be moved into the Home Office’s asylum accommodation system, which often means a hotel due to a shortage of available accommodation.

    But Manston became even more crowded at the weekend when 700 migrants were sent there from another centre in Dover, which was firebombed.

    Several hundred asylum seekers were relocated from the Manston centre on Tuesday, according to local Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale.

    More will leave throughout the week he said, tweeting: “This must never be allowed to happen again.”

    Mr Jenrick tweeted on Tuesday that the numbers of migrants held at the centre had “fallen substantially”.

    “Unless we receive an unexpectedly high number of migrants in small boats in the coming days, numbers will fall significantly this week,” he said. “It’s imperative that the site returns a sustainable operating model and we are doing everything we can to ensure that happens swiftly.”

    But the British Red Cross said “the serious problems at Manston are indicative of the wider issues facing the asylum system”.

    A huge number of migrants have arrived in the UK this year. So far this year, there have been almost 40,000 arrivals in Kent – with nearly 1,000 crossing the Channel on Saturday alone.

    Chart showing number of people arriving in small boats

    Separately, the BBC received photos of unaccompanied children being forced to sleep on the floor at another unnamed Home Office facility in Kent.

    The pictures show a sparsely decorated room, with just a few books and a box of Scrabble as entertainment to help pass the time in the facility.

    One man lies on the floor under a pink blanket while another sits on a sofa near a bookcase
    Migrants rest at an unnamed Home Office facility in Kent
    A person sits on a plastic chair inside the unnamed Home Office facility in Kent.
    In pictures sent to the BBC, the walls in the facility are covered in writing

    Writing in different languages is seen scrawled on the walls above a row of plastic chairs, fixed to the floor. The BBC understands the facility is used to process unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

    The government has come under huge pressure to tackle the rise in small boat crossings and to speed up the processing of migrants already in the UK.

    Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been accused by opposition parties of ignoring legal advice that said she had to source additional hotel accommodation to prevent overcrowding at the centre.

    Ms Braverman rejected the accusations.

    The home secretary was also accused of using inflammatory language, after saying southern England was facing an “invasion” of migrants during a heated House of Commons session.

    The Refugee Council said her language was “appalling, wrong and dangerous”. Her immigration minister Mr Jenrick later said politicians must be careful with their language around migration issues.

    And the prime minister’s official spokesman said Rishi Sunak told his cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday that the UK would “always be a compassionate, welcoming country”.

    Meanwhile, counter-terror police have taken over the investigation into an attack the firebombing of an immigration processing centre in Dover in Kent on Sunday.

    Detectives have said Andrew Leak, 66, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, likely carried out the attack in “some form of hate-filled grievance” before killing himself.

    Source: BBC

  • Plot to crucify Ghana Gas CEO backfires

    An attempt by unknown people to crucify the Ghana National Gas Company Limited CEO Dr. Ben K. D. Asante has started to fall flat as the internal wrangling within the New Patriotic Party in the Western Region heightens.

    Plot

    The faceless group, according to sources familiar with this development contracted some New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth to lead a demonstration against Dr. Asante, accusing him of failing to give them jobs at the state agency.

    The party members, some of whom were wielding placards nearly marred the celebration of the Kundum Festival at Atoabo on Sunday (October 30) as they attempted to express their grievances over internal matters within the Ellembelle Constituency, the source said.

    What appeared more worrying, the source said was the grave disrespect these youth showed to Awulae Amihere Kpayinli II, the paramount chief of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, Hon Kennedy Agyapong, the Board Chairman of Ghana Gas, Hon Freddy Blay, Board Chairman of GNPC, Hon Catherine Afeku, MMDCEs, and at the climax of the most revered festival in Nzemaland.

    Intervention

    But it appears that the plot backfired as the intervention of the rank and file of the party at the time avoided what had been described as a very embarrassing situation. The conduct by the youth group has since been condemned.

    “Although the incident was unfortunate, the few party members were trying to make a point concerning continuous discrimination against them based on internal party differences by some officers of Ghana National Gas Company Limited whose responsibility is to ensure access to job opportunities by qualified persons without any discrimination”, a statement released by the NPP in the Ellembelle Constituency read.

    “We wish to assure the aggrieved persons that their issues have been discussed with the Board Chair and CEO of the Company and are being addressed accordingly. The Party in Ellembelle Constituency is therefore calling on aggrieved members to stop calling for the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company Limited with immediate effect since he cannot be blamed for rather the party officers within ellembele who are equally officers of the Ghana National Gas Company in the Western Region.”

    Apology

    “By this release, we are rendering an unqualified apology to the CEO of Ghana National Gas Company Limited, Dr. Ben Asante, who has contributed to the development of the Ellembele District since taking office in 2017 for the attempt by the aggrieved persons to drag his name into disrepute.

    We also wish to use this medium to apologize to Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, the Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Area as well as the District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh for disregarding his intervention to stop the unfortunate incident. It is our strongest conviction that the Party will overcome the challenges and even emerge stronger to capture the Ellembelle Constituency Parliamentary seat for the New Patriotic in the 2024 General Election”, the statement concluded.

  • Details of how a wealthy businessman attempted to influence ‘anti-Ofori-Atta’ MPs

    It was the first time a group of MPs from the Majority Caucus have organised a press conference to demand the removal of one of their own – the finance minister and minister of state at the finance ministry – because they have become incompetent at the positions they occupied in government.

    Since their ‘unprecedented’ press conference, the president Akufo-Addo, stepped in to plead on behalf of his ministers but the MPs decided not to back down on their request so, the president asked the MPs to allow Ofori-Atta to conclude the ongoing IMF negotiations and also present the 2023 budget statement to Parliament before they revisit the issue again.

    It, however, emerged on Tuesday, November 1, a wealthy businessman after the president’s intervention also decided to meet the ‘anti-Ofori-Atta’ MPs and try to convince them to back down on their demand.

    In his attempt, this influential unknown businessman is alleged to have made an attempt to present a brown envelope full of money to the over 90 MPs who organised the press conference to demand the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen.

    “I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something. I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is…he was repelled by the people and told he was told not to involve himself. So he went away,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Joy News in an interview.

    Giving the details of their meeting with this influential businessman, Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP, Asante Akim North, told Joy FM in an interview monitored by GhanaWeb that:

    “I am part of the group that organised the press conference in respect of the claim that the Finance Minister should be relieved of his position and we have been meeting on this subject matter, there was an occasion that a man approached us and wanted to mediate on behalf of the finance minister.

    “We assured him that we did not have anything against the Finance Minister per se except that the public confidence in him has waned, that we have been approached by our constituents and, therefore, we thought that it was time for him to go so we will rebuild public confidence in the ministry and the government.

    “The man came and talked to us about it and wanted us to turn around and [re]consider the decision…we listened to him, and he said that while he has come here to talk to us; we have given him the opportunity to address us and therefore he wants to leave something behind for us. Indeed he got somebody to bring it and we said sorry, we cannot take anything. It is not for the reason of money that we are taking this decision, we are motivated by our conscience and therefore, it is not about materialism and that it is where it ended. We returned the money to him and he took it away.”

    When asked if it was an attempt to bribe the MPs, Appiah-Kubi responded “we don’t consider it as a bribe because there was nothing that we were doing to his advantage as a person so, that will not constitute a bribe. It was something that he was doing to try and get us to accommodate probably; that cannot qualify as a bribe.”

    “Bribe is when you have taken something to do the things that you will otherwise not do. But he has no personal interest in the matter so why will he pay a bribe? Maybe he was trying to offer something by way of his association with us so, I won’t call it a bribe, in any case, it was not given and nobody was a beneficiary of his gift or offer,” he added.

    The leader of the ‘anti-Ofori-Atta’ MPs giving clarity on who this said businessman met indicated categorically that the wealthy businessman did not meet the entire Majority caucus but the group that came out on the day to organise the press conference to demand the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen.

    This businessman further noted to the aggrieved MPs that “it is not in the interest of the business community to see this confusion in governance and therefore for the sake of the business community, and their businesses, let us ensure that there is peace and tranquility in the political space. That is why he has come to talk to us.

    “There was no need to investigate the group he represented neither was a need for us to investigate his personal commitment or interest in this matter; but I saw him as a statesman and somebody who has business interest in Ghana, who is interested in the tranquility that existed within the leadership of the country.”

     

  • Bawumia: Ghana to partner Rand Refinery to obtain LBMA certificate

    Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said the government is ready to collaborate with the board and management of Rand Refinery to help Ghana obtain London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certification.

    Underscoring the importance of the LBMA certificate to the government’s plan to develop the mineral industry and make Ghana a key player in the refinery of mineral resources, Bawumia said attaining the certification will propel Ghana to participate and exploit fully the benefits in the mineral value chain.

    He said that the gamut of experience and expertise of the certification make them strategic and beneficial partners to Ghana and that partnering them will help the country evade the blunders other countries committed on their journey to creating refinery hubs in their mining sector, “because you have a very long history in this area and also help us not to repeat mistakes of others.”

    Bawumia made these remarks when the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor led the delegation from Rand Refinery to call on him on Monday (31 October) in Accra.

    The meeting was to deliberate on ways of actualising government’s agenda to make Ghana a hub for the processing and refining of mineral resources and in particular obtaining the LBMA certification for the country.

    The chairman of Rand Refinery, Rams Ramashira disclosed that his outfit has held positive preliminary talks with the ministry and other key stakeholders.

    He said the CEO of Rand Refinery is a member of the LBMA board and “we are very happy to be of assistance and share some experiences and strike some alliances and hope the meeting with key stakeholders will help develop something concrete for the two parties”.

    Earlier on Monday, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources received the visiting Rand Refinery delegation at the ministry.

    He indicated that his invitation to the Rand refinery is to have them hold discussions and share ideas on how to move forward with the partnership that exist between the parties.

    He advocated for an intelligent and effective collaboration between the government and LBMA to ensure that the certification is issued.

    He took the team through the itinerary for the visit and hoped that it will be a fruitful one as they get the opportunity to meet the Vice President who he said has been very passionate about leveraging the gold industry and the gold value chain in Ghana in support of the national economy.

    “The idea is that this visit is productive and substantive and that it gives us the opportunity to delve into the concrete issues with concrete outcomes”, he said.

    The sector minister thanked the team for their hospitality during his last visit to their Refinery in South Africa, indicating that the tour of their refinery was very enlightening and educative.

    He hoped that at the end of all meetings and discussions the Ministry would be able to acquire sufficient mentorship from Rand Refinery.

    “We should be able to find a workable platform to engage cause as I believe all of us acknowledge that your refinery turns to be the leader when it comes to the business of Gold Refinery in Africa and therefore whatever we seek to do, here in Ghana, our idea is to get sufficient mentorship from your outfit.”

    The sector minister said as much as possible it is his desire that Rand Refinery will be able to establish a branch in Ghana perhaps through a partnership with an existing Refinery.

    The CEO of Rand Refinery, Praveen Baijnath on his part said they are excited and very expectant about the opportunity to partner Ghana on the event of establishing a Refinery in the country.

    He said their general objective on this trip is to meet all stakeholders involved in the gold value chain to better understand government expectations and to consider how best they can unlock their assets available to meet up on that level.

    “Our general strategic objective is to collect much intelligence and data as possible to build a business case and see how we can develop it”.

    Also with the Minister were the Deputy Minister in Charge Mines, George Mireku Duker, the CEO of Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi, the Advisor on Mines to the Minister, Ben Aryee, the Managing Director of PMMC, Nana AKwasi Awuah and other officials from the Ministry.

    Source: Asaaseradio

  • Ignore calls for the removal of Dr Ben Asante as Ghana Gas CEO – Evalue Ajomoro Gwira NPP

    The Evalue Ajomoro Gwira branch of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) is urging the rank and file of the party and the general public to disregard calls for the dismissal Dr. Ben Asante as Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, the party said that it has been impressed with the works of Dr. Ben Asante and shuddered to understand the calls being made by some executives of the Ellembelle branch of the party.

    Evalue Ajomoro Gwira NPP noted in its statement that the delivery of key developmental projects have been a feature of Dr Ben Asante’s reign as CEO of Ghana Gas.

    According to the party, under Dr Ben Asante’s leadership, there have been employment and scholarship opportunities for indigenes of the Evalue Ajomoro Gwira constituency.

    The party surmised that the claims being made against Dr Ben Asante are borne out of vile tribalism which must be rejected and condemned.

    “Evalue Ajomoro Gwira Constituency has had her fair share of CSR projects, recruitments, scholarships, internships and national service opportunities under the leadership of Dr. Ben Asante with support from our former MP, Hon Catherine Abelema Afeku.

    “Support for traditional authorities since 2017, especially in the conduct of quarterly traditional council meetings, and Kundum festival celebrations is worth mentioning.

    “Ghana Gas is now a household name in our Constituency due to the visionary leadership of Dr Ben Asante in decentralizing opportunities for the three Nzema Districts in terms of jobs, CSR projects and recognition. This was not the case prior to 2017.

    “It is very worrying for a true party person to call for the head of Dr Ben Asante just on the bases that he is not an Nzema,” parts of the statement read.

    The party also scolded some disgruntled youth who staged a demonstration against the Ghana Gas boss during this year’s Kundum celebrations at Atuabo on Sunday, October 30, 2022.

    The party says the decision by the youth to ignore counsel from eminent personalities at the durbar to press ahead with the protest is outright disrespectful and an affront to the values and norms of the party.

    “What is more worrying is the grave disrespect these youth showed to Hon Kennedy Agyapong, the board Chairman of Ghana Gas, Hon Freddy Blay, board Chairman of GNPC, Hon Catherine Afeku, MMDCEs and Awulae Amihere Kpayinli II at the grand durbar of the climax of Atuabo Kundum festival at Atuabo on Sunday, 30th October, 2022.

    “After several hours of the engaging party leadership of our neighbor Ellembelle Constituency, the youth still went ahead to demonstrate, which nearly marred the beauty of the festival. This is alien to Nzema NPP and must be condemned.”

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Minority defers petition against EC New C.I

    The Minority in Parliament has deferred its petition to the House to put on hold the proposed Public Elections Instrument by the Electoral Commission until they have addressed every issue with stakeholders, including the National Identification Authority(NIA).

    On the order paper for November 1, the minority was expected to submit a petition to parliament to halt the presentation of the proposed Public Elections (Registration of Voters) instrument (C.I) until the backlog of Ghana Cards, which the National Identification Authority has admitted is cleared.

    However, during a press conference, the minority leader said they had to defer the C.I for further consultations with leadership.

    “With the petition on the matter relating to the C.I and the Voter register and National Identification, I am deferring it for further consultations with leadership and your good self and not proceeding on it for today until after the consultations,” Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader told the media.

    A few months back, the Electoral Commission announced the proposed Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2021 Constitutional Instrument, which seeks to make the Ghana Card the only proof of nationality for its impending limited registration exercise.

    They have been strongly opposed as they believe the exercise will disenfranchise Ghanaians as many are yet to acquire their Ghana Cards.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Plan to import affordable fuel set in motion – Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah

    Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has disclosed that the government has commenced plans to secure cheaper petroleum products onto the Ghanaian market.

    The Minister made this revelation while speaking to Evans Mensah on PM Express on Monday.

    According to him, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ministry of Energy will provide further details about the importation of fuel onto the Ghanaian market in the coming days.

    He noted that the Energy Ministry had already begun talks with some major sources and sovereigns in the supply of petroleum products.

    “In President Kufuor’s time, we did it with Nigeria, Sahara lifting for us and you could have supply credit lines and a fixed price that you could bank on and it is a very similar arrangement that has already commenced and I am expecting that in the coming weeks the NPA, the Energy Ministry will have the opportunity to provide the details,” he said on PM Express, Monday.

    “I am saying that the work has already started, I will want them to come and put out those details…I am not going to preempt what the people responsible for the sector are going to do. We are scheduling for all of them to come and provide their detailed presentations and during those presentations, all of the questions can be put to them,” he told Evans Mensah.

    The Minister’s statement comes a day after President Akufo-Addo announced that government is working to secure reliable and regular sources of affordable petroleum products for the Ghanaian market.

    The deal, if successful is expected to put some stability to the escalation of the fuel prices in the country.

    Currently, petrol and diesel prices are being sold at an average of ¢18 and ¢23 per litre, from the previous prices of ¢15 and ¢19 per litre respectively.

    Already, some leading OMCs have adjusted the prices of petroleum products at their pumps.

    Petroleum consumers have lamented the high prices of petroleum products on the market as it has affected businesses and plummeted the cost of living in the country.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • CEO, other managers have added nothing new to our operations – VALCO workers

    Workers of the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) have accused the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Daniel Acheampong of running the company into ruins.

    The workers who embarked on a protest on Monday, October 31, 2022, in demand for the removal of top management of the company, who they claim are retirees, have also accused the CEO of implementing policies that do not favour them.

    The workers of VALCO bemoaned the current management at the helm of affairs of the company.

    The workers claim, despite operating locally, most operations of the company are carried out outside the country in dollars and most managerial roles are occupied by retirees who do not have the interest of the company at heart.

    This, the workers said, is making their living conditions difficult, coupled with the current economic situation that has bedevilled the country thus their decision to embark on the protest, to register their displeasure with the prevailing conditions of the company.

    A statement issued by the workers, signed by the President of the local workers union Edgar Mensah said the current crop of managers has “added nothing new to the operations of VALCO.

    “The song they continue to sing is “We are not making a profit. Dan Acheampong keeps on telling us that the only reason why we can also benefit satisfactorily from VALCO is when these two (2) conditions are met:- When we are able to get Strategic Partner(s) to invest their money in the business; When the government is able to give us the power to start our second line at a reduced price.”

    The statement said despite the conditions raised that need to be met, “They (the pensioners) continue to live opulent lifestyles whereas we have been denied the opportunity to have a fair share.

    “He [CEO] says because we owe GRIDCO and VRA so much, if they heard he has increased our salary, they would not be pleased.”

    It noted that: “Most of the retired top management personnel have continued to occupy company houses since retiring, blocking access to others to also enjoy same. Additionally, we have two (2) retired department directors heading the Maintenance Department.

    “The unthinkable explanation is that one of them heads Mechanical related issues and the other Electrical matters. Dan Acheampong and Festus Quaidoo, in particular, have shown no love and commitment to improving the lives of the non-management employees.”

    It further noted that Management has changed the “Tier 3 System” and “placed a blackmail on it once we speak for its reversal; Salary and Promotions for several non-management staff have been delayed unfairly for several years, leading to agitations.

    “Wage Opener has been unnecessarily delayed as a result of bad faith on the part of management; Management has chosen ‘shutdown’ over ‘increment of salary’ for non-management; Financial malfeasance everywhere without any investigations.”

    The workers, therefore, want all retirees occupying various managerial positions to step down.

    Source: classfmonline

  • NDC petitions Parliament to freeze proposed C.I. making Ghana Card sole document for voter registration

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has petitioned Parliament to halt the laying of a proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) which seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for compiling the new voters’ register.

    Until the backlog of Ghana Cards has been cleared, the NDC wants the C.I. to be frozen in order not to deny “millions of citizens” the right to register and vote in the 2024 general elections.

    More so, other evidence of citizenship such as the use of a Ghanaian passport and the guarantor system must be added to the Ghana Card for the registration exercise.

    “Any further action on the proposed C.I. by or in Parliament should be frozen until consultations have been initiated and concluded with the major stakeholders, especially the political parties, including the NDC and civil society,” part of the petition cited by MyJoyOnline.com stated.

    The petition will be presented by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, when the House sits for business on Tuesday, November 1.

    EC justifies use of Ghana Card

    The Electoral Commission earlier in September defended its decision to use only the Ghana Card for the voter registration exercise, saying it is still the valid and surest way to rid the register of minors and foreigners.

    According to the EC’s Director of Electoral Services, it is possible for eligible voters to get their Ghana Cards before the end of their registration on October 7, 2024.

    Dr Serebour Quaicoe was confident that barring any unforeseen circumstances, every qualified voter can get their identity cards to be fully registered for the 2024 general elections within the next two years.

    He believes no one would be disenfranchised because all Ghanaians have enough time to access the Ghana Card.

    But the NDC believes this would rather be a tool to infringe on the rights of citizens.

    “Since the proposed Public Elections (Registration of Voters0 Instrument (C.I.), as a subsidiary legislation, cannot override the substantive provision in the Constitution on the citizens’ right to register and to vote, and insistence on the Ghana Card as the only evidence of citizenship will deny millions of citizens the right to register and vote, other forms of evidence of citizenship such as the Ghana passport and the guarantor system must be added to the Ghana Card as evidence of citizenship in the proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.),” the petition added.

     

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • A 3rd external force might hit Ghana soon – Oppong-Nkrumah warns of potential China-Taiwan war

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has warned Ghanaians of a possible war between China and Taiwan which he said has the possibility of having disastrous consequences on Ghana’s economy.

    According to him, Ghanaians are not talking about the implication of this ensuing conflict but will say it is not affecting Ghana’s economy once it happens like some are doing for the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

    “There is a 3rd problem coming, and if we fail to pay attention to it, it hits us, and people will deny it is one of the reasons for the challenges in the country.

    “Do you know that China has extended the tenure of office for Xi Jinping by an extra five years? Read Xi Jipin’s inaugural speech. Somethings we fail to pay attention to these things. Xi Jinping said that he would not rule out taking over Taiwan.

    “The issues between China and Taiwan are no different from the issues of Russia and Ukraine – where one country thinks the other country is part of his territory and attempt to use false to annex it. If China attacks Taiwan can you imagine the consequences, especially at this time that crude oil costs $94 per barrel and is set to rise again due to OPEC cutting supply,” he said in Twi.

    Oppong Nkrumah, who made these remarks in an Asempa interview monitored by GhanaWeb, said that the media in other countries are seriously discussing the implication of the potential war, but the media in Ghana are silent about it.

    “If indeed China attacks Taiwan, what will be the implications? So, if we are not seeing the implication of the Russia-Ukraine war on our economy, what are we saying about the implication of a potential war between China and Ukraine?

    “If you turn in to other (foreign) media houses, they are discussing the implications of this issue, but we are not, and if it hits us, we will be saying it is not affecting our economy,” he reiterated.

    The information minister made these remarks while answering a question on calls by some Ghanaians for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to apologise to Ghanaians about the current hardships in the country.

    He indicated that the president admitted that the country is facing an economic crisis, and calls for him to apologise for it are immaterial.

    Source: Ghanaweb

     

  • Wealthy businessman tried to mediate on Ofori-Atta’s behalf – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu reveals

    Amid the calls for his resignation, Finance Minister’s predicament has courted him sympathisers in certain quarters of the business community.

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has revealed that when some of the Majority MPs called for Mr. Ofor-Atta’s dismissal, one of Ghana’s wealthy businessmen approached them to plead on behalf of the Minister.

    In an interview with JoyNews, the Majority leader explained that in the heat of the arguments in Parliament, the said businessman met some of the legislators and “tried to do something.”

    He fell short of stating what exactly the move was nor the form it took.

    “I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something,” he told Evans Mensah.

    According to Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, a businessman ‘tried to do something’ in his own way to mediate on the Finance Minister’s sack in Parliament last week.

    Who could this businessman be?🤔 #JoySMS pic.twitter.com/Du3P0tboR9

    — Joy 99.7 FM (@Joy997FM) November 1, 2022

    The Suame MP insisted that it was meant to help persuade the members of the house against nudging the Minister out of office.

    “I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way what he thinks the problem is,” he said.

    He further narrated that “he was repelled by the people and told he was told not to involve himself. So he went away.”

    This revelation was made in a yet-to-be-aired interview on PM Express on JoyNews.

    “If that is the case I want to talk to that man and know his motive. But people could also be indulging in speculation. So we want to hear him to see what it is… Did he come here?… did he come with any inducement? What was the motivation? Not having heard him, I don’t want to prejudge.”

    According to Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, the man in question is a known figure in the business community who has his own way of dealing with both sides of the political divide.

    The Finance Minister is the subject of criticism for what many say is a lost grip on the economy.

    Ken Ofori-Atta is at the doors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking a bailout to prevent a further slump.

    Source: Myjoyonline

     

     

  • ‘There is a huge financial crisis looming’ – ASEPA boss warns

    Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson, has insisted that Ghanaians who have invested in government bonds and other investment portfolios will lose some of their investment because of the ongoing economic crisis.

    Mensah Thompson’s remarks come after President Akufo-Addo refuted suggestions that his government would buy off government bonds at rates lower than their expected returns – “haircut on Government bonds”.

    Addressing the nation on measures being taken by the government to rescue the economy, Akufo-Addo said: “I also want to assure all Ghanaians that no individual or institutional investor, including pension funds, in government treasury bills or instruments will lose their money, as a result of our ongoing IMF negotiations.

    “There will be no “haircuts”, so I urge all of you to ignore the false rumours, just as, in the banking sector clean-up, government ensured that the 4.6 million depositors affected by the exercise did not lose their deposits.”

    He cautioned, “those who make it a habit of publishing falsehoods, which result in panic in the system, I say to them that the relevant state agencies will act against such persons”.

    But, Mensah Thompson, in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, on Monday, October 31, said that Ghanaians should not believe the statement of the president.

    He added that some banks have already started sending notifications to their customers about the “government bond haircuts”.

    “Things are going to get worse… Officials of the IMF will be in Ghana in the next few weeks to do what we call the final assessment ahead of a debt restructuring. One of the things President Akufo-Addo and Ofori-Atta will be adding to the debt restructuring basket is pensions.

    “Pension funds are also going to receive those haircuts. I am not saying that people should believe me, but will you believe the president who has continuously lied to you for the past five years? Are they not the same people who said we will not be going to the IMF?

    “If such a person (Akufo-Addo) comes to tell you that your bonds, your securities and your pensions are not going to receive a haircut, you believe that person at your own risk. The point I’m making is that there is a huge financial sector crisis coming up,” he said in Twi.

    “Yesterday, EcoBank sent notices to their customers; their EDC fund holders have started receiving haircuts. Bondholders of Stanbic Bank have started receiving haircuts, and other commercial banks are doing same. The haircuts have even started before the debt restructuring,” he added.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Ghana assumes presidency of UN Security Council on November 1

    Ghana will assume the rotating monthly Presidency of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, 1st November 2022.

    During the month of November 2022, Ghana shall preside over the meetings of the Council (adoptions, debates, and consultations) and, under its authority, shall represent the Security Council in its capacity as an organ of the United Nations.

    The Security Council, which is composed of 15 Member States, is the organ of the United Nations authorised by the Charter with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

    The responsibility of presiding over the Security Council comes at a time when international peace and security are threatened in several parts of the world.

    The President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorko Botwey are expected to be in New York during the period to participate in the meetings of the Security Council.

    Key highlights of Ghana’s presidency are two signature events that will take place on 3rd and 10th November, as well as an exhibition of Ghanaian arts and a food tasting event.”

  • Ofori-Atta is Ghana’s biggest problem: Mensah Thompson states the 3 ‘sins’ of finance minister

    Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson, has accused Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of being the main cause of Ghana’s economic challenges.

    According to Mensah Thompson, Ofori-Atta’s decision to collapse some banks in the country is one of the main reasons the economy is currently crushing.

    The ASEPA boss, who made these remarks in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, said that the finance minister’s unquenchable thirst for loans is another reason Ghanaians are currently suffering.

    “The government is sponsoring these narratives that our problems are because of speculation and profiteering by Ghanaians, but this is false. The problems we are facing today have nothing to do with Ghanaians.

    “Only one person is responsible for all the problems we are facing today, and he is Ofori-Atta. He is the bigger problem. If the president wants to shift the blame, he should put it on Ofori-Atta. Because Ofori-Atta single-handedly has destroyed Ghana’s economy in a way that will take the country at least 20 years to recover.

    “One of Ofori-Atta’s decisions that caused the current problems is the collapse of banks. The consequences of collapsing some banks in 2018 are what we are seeing today… The second thing is corruption. Take the Auditor-Generals report and see how much Ofori-Atta got through his bank helping the government to acquire loans,” he said in Twi.

    He added that the third decision Ofori-Atta took, which led to the collapse of the Ghanaian economy, was financial misreporting.

    “Ofori-Atta has been presenting different sets of data to Ghana’s Parliament and IMF (International Monetary Fund). In 2018, the IMF exposed him for misreporting our budget deficit,” he said.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • NDC Polls: The wisdom of Solomon has nothing to do with the age of Methuselah – Otokunor

    Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, the Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed confidence in his bid to become the party’s next General Secretary.

    Explaining why he is a stronger contender in the race, although he is the youngest person vying for the soon-to-be-vacant position of the party, he said age is the least of things that should be used to determine his capabilities.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb TV’s Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese on the Election Desk, Dr. Peter Otokunor stated that if it had to do simply with age, Methuselah would have been preferred over King Solomon in the Bible when it comes to the display of wisdom.

    “Let me emphasize that the wisdom of Solomon has nothing to do with the age of Methuselah. You don’t need to be old before you become efficient. Is Ghana huger than France? The Facebook that you’re on, the internet that you’re on, the website that you are on, they were all generated by young people,” he said.

    Dr. Peter Otokunor further stated that it is his firm belief that young people should be allowed to showcase what they are made of.

    “I think that young people should be allowed to grow because look at President Akufo-Addo, he is almost 78 or something. You have seen the bizarre performance, the disgraceful performance he and Bawumia have offered to this country. So, age is just a number; it does not signify competence,” he added.

    He also spoke about some issues that bother on internal NDC politics, as well as on a few national subjects.

     

  • GNAT: Akufo-Addo must revoke appointment of new GES boss

    The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is mounting pressure on President Akufo-Addo to revoke the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as acting director general of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    The teacher union has warned of dire consequences should the newly appointed GES boss remain in office by 4 November.

    Nkansah took over from Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, who was reassigned to the KNUST after serving as GES boss for nearly six years.

    In a communique read to the press at its annual meeting on Sunday (30 October), GNAT described the latest appointment as unfortunate, stressing that the appointee is not an educationist.

    The general secretary of GNAT Thomas Tanko Musah, who read the communique was also concerned about the contract extension for the deputy director general of the GES.

    “The position of the director general of Ghana Education Service is the preserve of educationists and has since been occupied by educationists since its creation in the 1970s and remains as such even in military regimes.

    “Council finds the replacement of Prof Opoku-Amankwa with Dr Eric Nkansah, a banker as unfortunate and untenable,” he said.

  • ECG Krobo district walks to climax breast cancer awareness month

    The management and staff of the Krobo District of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) embarked on a health walk on Saturday (29 October 2022) as part of activities marking this year’s breast cancer awareness month.

    The month-long awareness programme is spearheaded by the Power Queens Club of the power distribution company. The club is an association of all the female staff of the organisation.

    The month of October has been set aside as breast cancer awareness month all over the world. Various activities are planned towards creating awareness on the disease.

    Some choose various themes to mark the celebration. The encouragement of women and men to get screened remains a top awareness issue for many organisations.

    In ECG, the Power Queens Club has been spearheading the month-long awareness creation on breast cancer. Across the various operational districts of the organisation, a number of activities were carried out, with opportunities for people to get screened.

    The Krobo District of the ECG has been participating in this month-long awareness programme. To climax it, the management and staff of the district walked up the Acineci Mountain in Krobo. They did this alongside staff from other operational areas and supporting personnel who are aiding general work in the district.

    The acting Krobo district manager, Ing. Christopher Apawu said that they had indeed taken the breast cancer awareness creation seriously and had been encouraging all staff to get screened.

    “We also encourage them to encourage their families and friends to get screened because it has been determined that early detection of breast cancer helps in easier management of it,” he said.

    “Medical diagnosis has shown that men are also at risk of the disease hence all staff were roped into the various activities and encouraged to partake in the screening processes,” he added.

    The executives of the Power Queens Club in the district have played an active role in the month-long activities. They thanked the management of the district for creating the enabling environment for them to carry on with the awareness programme in October.

  • Hippo Limited refutes GRA’s GHc 1.3 billion tax default claim

    A now defunct consumer goods company, Hippo Limited, has refuted claims by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), that it has defaulted in the payment of taxes to the tune of GHc 1,361,546,803.56.

    The position of Hippo Limited was made known in a press release dated 31 October 2022, issued by the management of Hippo Limited, a defunct member of the Hippo Group of Companies, a wholly Ghanaian owned holdings company, formed in 2008 with Hippo Limited, the parent company, originally established in 1983.

    GRA advert

    “The attention of Hippo Limited has been drawn to a notice by the Ghana Revenue Authority published in the Business and Financial Times on 26th October 2022, alleging amongst others that, Hippo Limited has defaulted in the payment of taxes to the tune of GHS1,361,546,803.56.

    “We wish to bring to the attention of the general public that not only is the said notice false, but it is also misleading and malicious. Contrary to the notice by GRA, Hippo Limited successfully contested the assessment in 2017 in the High Court, Accra,” the Hippo Limited statement read.

    High Court decision

    The press release further noted, “For the avoidance of doubt, Hippo Limited hereby publishes the conclusions of the High Court judgment dated 22nd May 2020 to enable the public appreciate the truth or otherwise of the status of the matter.”

    The judgement was in respect of an application invoking the Judicial Review jurisdiction of the High Court in the case of Hippo Limited and the Commissioner General, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

    The Court held as follows; “Consequently, the Application for Judicial Review filed by the Applicant is hereby granted in part as is the request of the Respondent as contained in the paragraph 12 of its affidavit in response to the Application, and the Court hereby enters the following orders:

    “It is hereby ordered that the tax assessment carried out by the Respondent entitling the Respondent to recover the sum of One billion, three hundred and sixty-two million four hundred and eight thousand, six hundred Ghana Cedis and ninety Pesewas (GHc1,362,408,600.90) as the tax liability of the Applicant dated 27th August 2018 is accordingly set aside, as well as all the execution processes founded thereon.

    “It is further ordered that the Applicant make available to the Respondent, within thirty (30) days from the date of this order, all relevant documents Applicant seeks to rely on in proof of its objection to the assessed tax liability for the Respondent to carry out another assessment of the Applicant’s tax liability.

    “Upon receipt of the documentation of the Applicant, the Respondent is to complete the reassessment of the tax liability of the Applicant within two (2) weeks therefrom and serve its decision on the Applicant.

    “It is further ordered that should the Applicant fail to so comply with the Order to furnish its documentation to the Respondent and in the time frame therein specified, the Respondent is at liberty to carry out the reassessment without the input of the Applicant.

    “It is ordered, finally, that as the Applicant is not in active operation, its warehouse remain closed for the period of this reassessment exercise,” the judgement of the court read.

    In-action of GRA

    Subsequent to the orders of the Court, Hippo Limited says it has submitted all the relevant documents, audited account statements among others to GRA.

    However, to date, GRA has not done anything about the situation but continue to create the erroneous impressions that Hippo Limited owes taxes.

    Be that as it may, Hippo Limited’s contention is that, it is impossible for the GRA to allege that they have failed to pay taxes when it operated under the bonded warehouse scheme which is managed and controlled by officers of GRA directly.

    Bad faith

    Hippo Limited therefore noted that in view of the court’s decision, it “wishes to put on record that GRA has not complied with the orders of the High Court and, therefore, its notice is not only unlawful but in clear breach of the orders of the Court.

    “Hippo Limited is not indebted to GRA and the said notice should be discarded as same was published in bad faith to dent the hard-earned reputation of the Company and its named directors,” the management of Hippo Limited stated in their press release.

     

  • Government to limit forex for importation of certain goods – Oppong-Nkrumah

    The government will in the coming days limit the availability of forex for the import of some goods into the country, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said.

    The move forms part of an initiative by the government to limit the importation of goods that can be produced locally.

    Speaking in an interview with Kwaku Nhyira-Addo on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (1 November), Opong Nkrumah said,” We want to limit the importation of a number of things; rice, poultry, fruit juices, vegetable oil, because we produce all of them here in Ghana.”

    “… We want to gradually fade these things out by reducing the availability of forex for those imports while supporting local production and in about six months, we can do a full review and if it becomes necessary to do an outright ban having improved local production then you can get into that area.”

  • UAE ban on Ghana: Disregard the news – Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarifies

    Following earlier news that Ghanaians had been barred from entering the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has issued a statement to refute the claims.

    According to the statement issued by the ministry, it has no such communication in its possession, and as such, the information should be disregarded.

    “The said publication assigned no reason for the ban, but social media sources have alleged that it is aimed at keeping away visitors from African countries who usually overstay their visit visas in the UAE.

    “The Ministry wishes to assure the general public that it has received no such communication from the authorities in the UAE and as such, the story should be disregarded,” it stated.

    The ministry has however indicated that information available to it is that the UAE has reviewed its visa requirements.

    “Meanwhile, information available to the Ministry indicates that the UAE has reviewed the requirements for its tourist and visit visas. The revision of visa regimes and requirements includes the following:

    “The 30-day single entry visas have been put in hold, a 60-day multiple visa entry regime is currently in force, travellers to the UAE should secure a round-trio ticket and a hotel booking prior to the visa application,” it added.

    Read the full statement below:/b>

  • Where is your scorecard? – Dzifa Gomashie descends on Afriyie Akoto, Asenso Boakye

    The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has descended on two sector ministers, Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Francis Asenso-Boakye, over their performances in their respective sectors.

    The MP, in separate posts on her Facebook page, questioned the outputs of the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Works and Housing, respectively, asking how they can prove to Ghanaians that they are working.

    In posts, which included photos and videos she captured from Morocco, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP wondered why, in the case of Afriyie Akoto, he was yet to show physical evidence of his successes with the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs.

    “Dear Minister of Agriculture, people are working without the slogan in other African countries. In these pictures and videos are green houses in Morocco… PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS!

    “Where is your scorecard?” she quizzed.

    Dzifa Gomashie also quizzed the Minister of Works and Housing on why he has not allowed Ghana’s Saglemi Housing Project to become operational, regardless of the existing allegations.

    “Dear Minister for Works and Housing,

    “This could be our SAGLEMI after 6 years. Even if what you alleged was true, 6 years is long enough for you to have given Saglemi life.

    “Where is the scorecard?” she wrote.

  • Retired GBC staff recounts 1983 gun battle in a failed attempt to overthrow Rawlings

    A veteran Ghanaian broadcaster, Amankwa Ampofo, has recounted his experience during the failed attempt to overthrow the PNDC government led by Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings in 1983.

    In an interview with Oman Channel, the retired journalist recalled his days at the Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation and the events of June 19, 1983.

    This was during the time when a failed coup attempt, led by Lance Corporal Carlos Halidu Giwa, saw a heavy exchange of fire in the compound of the state broadcasting firm.

    “I remember in 1983-84, Giwa wanted to overthrow the government. He wanted to overthrow the government of Rawlings and that is how come Giwa was killed when he was arrested,” he stated.

    Having been caught up in the exchange of fire that ensued during the attempted coup, Amankwa Ampofo told Theophilus Annan of Oman Channel that he had to lie on his stomach for about five hours to survive the heavy gunfire.

    “But on that day, the pathetic thing was that I was on duty. I was a witness to the fighting in the compound of GBC during the Giwa coup. I had to lie on my stomach for five hours because you would not know which direction a gunshot is coming from if you raise up your head,” he recounted.

    A little over a year after seizing power from the Limann administration, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings was almost overthrown by men who used to be his allies.

    On June 19, 1983, Lance Corporal Carlos Halidu Giwa, who was in the Ghana Army, led a military coup d’état with the help of other soldiers, including Sergeant Abdul Malik.

    Some of the men made their way to GBC, where they announced taking over power from the PNDC government.

    Their message to the nation was given by Carlos Halidu Gyiwa, who described himself as the Operational Commissioner of the Revolutionary Fighters.

    Their reason for the attempted takeover was that “Flt Lt Rawlings and his team had been found to be inefficient. While he preached virtue, Flt Lt Rawlings practiced vice.”

    Captain Courage Quashigah, however, led some soldiers to the broadcasting house and succeeded in taking over the place after a gun battle saw the rebels run away.

    After taking over, Captain Quashigah broadcasted to inform the nation that the coup attempt had been foiled.

     

  • Be discipline and make good use of free SHS – Prof Emmanuel Asante to students

    Former National Peace Council Chairman, Rev Professor Emmanuel Kwaku Asante, has implored Ghanaian children to see the Free Senior High School policy implemented by the Akufo Addo government as an excellent opportunity for them to acquire life-changing education.

    He also advised them to be disciplined and make education their priority.

    According to him, getting access to education in the past was difficult. Still, with determination and self-discipline, many had the opportunity, and now as heroes and heroines serving the country and other nations.

    The Past Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, gave this advice during the launch of the 83rd Anniversary of Osei Tutu SHS at Akropong in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti region under the theme: “Discipline, a panacea for academic and moral excellence.”

    “Education in the past was very difficult, but those who were determined and self-disciplined were able to make it. You have free SHS, which makes access to education easy, so you have to make good use of it”. He stated.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of the occasion and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dominion Chambers, Lawyer Dr. William Kusi appealed to the government to review the educational curriculum by revisiting the studies of Cultural studies, Religious Moral Education which are moral values to reshape the children’s behaviour to minimize the tendency social vices such as drugs abuse, streetism, teenage pregnancy and many more which affects their upbringing.

    The Headmaster of Osei Tutu SHS, Dr. Asare Yeboah, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Board, Staff, and Old Students Association for the support given to him, especially (1980-81) year group for the Construction modern state of arts Clinic for the School.

     

  • Ghana’s current economic woes due to Akufo-Addo’s reckless borrowings – John Jinapor

    A member of the Finance Committee in Parliament has laid the country’s current economic crisis solely on the doorsteps of President Akufo-Addo.

    John Jinapor said the woes is due the unprecedented and reckless borrowings by his government.

    According to him, despite the global economic situation, there is nothing to show for the huge borrowings.

    President Akufo-Addo
    President Akufo-Addo

    “The [crisis] is a Nana Akufo-Addo problem. There is a problem and what we are witnessing now is unprecedented. Something must be wrong somewhere because of excessive borrowing. We are borrowing as if there is no tomorrow. Going forward, government must move away from reckless borrowing”, John Jinapor said in an interview with Citi TV on Monday.

    The Yapei Kusawgu MP added that the government’s failure to invest in productive sectors is sinking the economy.

    “Managing an economy is not only about today but the short, medium and long term. If you borrow and invest it in productive sectors, it spurs economic growth, creates jobs and generates more revenue and can deal with the headwinds”, the MP added.

    Recent international ratings that saw Ghana’s economy downgraded to reflect the country’s inability to fix its liquidity and debt challenges.

    With limited access to the international financial market and challenges with domestic revenue mobilization to rescue the situation, Ghana has now turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a US$ 3 billion bailout.

    However, President Akufo-Addo addressed the nation on Sunday, October 30, about measures his government was taking to curtail the current economic crisis.

    In his address, the President hinted at possibly securing a deal with the IMF by the end of the year.

    According to him, the country is likely to arrive at an agreement by December to get the crucial bailout it seeks.

    Amidst the general economic difficulties facing Ghanaians, the President in the address to the nation on Sunday insisted that the government is committed to ensuring that the economy is back on track.

  • Petrol now sells at ¢18 while diesel goes for ¢23 per litre

    Some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have started increasing prices of petroleum products at the pumps from this morning, November 1, 2022.

    Petrol and diesel prices are going for an average of ¢18 and ¢23 per litre, from the previous prices of ¢15 and ¢19 per litre respectively.

    Already, some leading OMCs have adjusted their prices of petroleum products at the pumps.

    They attribute the significant increase in the price of fuel to the sharp depreciation of the cedi over the past two weeks.

    Presently, the price of crude oil on the world market is relatively stable, selling at $94 per barrel.

    But the price of fuel has gone up by more than 100% since the beginning of the year. Petrol and diesel sold at about ¢7.5 per litre at the beginning of 2022.

    The Institute for Energy Security (IES) had earlier stated that petrol and diesel prices were expected to go up further to ¢18 and ¢20 per litre by the middle of November 2022.

    It also projected a further increase in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas despite a 1.43% fall in the commodity on the world market.

    But this latest increase in the prices of petroleum products indicates that the new prices have come too early.

     

  • Brazil election: Bolsonaro supporters block roads after poll defeat

    Lorry drivers in Brazil loyal to President Jair Bolsonaro have blocked roads across the country, after his poll defeat to leftist rival Lula.

    Blockages were reported in all but two states, causing considerable disruption and affecting food supply chains.

    With all the votes counted, Lula had 50.9% of the valid votes against Mr Bolsonaro‘s 49.1% in Sunday’s run-off.

    The incumbent far-right president has neither conceded defeat nor challenged the results that divided the nation.

    There are concerns that the outgoing president could complicate the two-month transition period before Lula (full name Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva), a former president, is due to be sworn in on 1 January 2023.

    Pro-Bolsonaro lorry drivers started setting up roadblocks across the vast country soon after the election results were announced.

    By Monday night, the federal highway police reported 342 such incidents, with the biggest protests going on in the country’s south. Some of the blockages were later cleared by police.

    Many lorry drivers have benefited from lower diesel costs during the Bolsonaro administration.

    Jair Bolsonaro. Photo: 30 October 2022
    Jair Bolsonaro is yet to publicly comment on the election results

    Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes on Monday ordered the police to disperse the roadblocks immediately.

    He warned that all those still blocking the roads on Tuesday would be each fined 100,000 Brazilian reals (£16,700: $19,300) per hour.

    Mr Bolsonaro, 67, is said to have gone to sleep after he narrowly lost to his arch rival.

    Combative statements from Mr Bolsonaro in the past – such as that “only God” could remove him from office – mean there is a tense wait for him to appear in public. Before the election, he had repeatedly cast unfounded doubts on the voting system.

    In his victory speech soon after the results were made public, Lula, 77, touched on the political rift running through Brazil which further deepened during a bitterly fought and often acrimonious election campaign.

    “This country needs peace and unity. This population doesn’t want to fight anymore,” he said, promising to govern for all Brazilians and not just for those who had voted for him.

    Congratulations have poured in from across the world, including from the leaders of the UK, China, France, India and Russia. US President Biden said the win came “following free, fair and credible elections”.

    It is a stunning comeback for Lula, a politician who could not run in the last presidential election in 2018 because he was in jail and banned from standing for office.

  • Morbi bridge collapse: India PM Modi to visit site

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi district in India’s western state of Gujarat where a bridge collapse has killed more than a hundred people in one of the worst accidents in years.

    The colonial-era bridge collapsed into the Machchu river on Sunday, days after it reopened after repairs.

    Search and rescue operations on the river resumed on Tuesday.

    Nine people, including employees of a firm contracted to maintain the bridge, have been arrested.

    The 230m (754ft) bridge on the Machchu river was built during British rule in the 19th Century.

    The bridge was a major local tourist attraction – touted by the state’s tourism website as an “artistic and technological marvel” – and reopened only last week after being shut for months for repairs.

    Reports said that several hundred people were on the structure when it collapsed at around 18:40 India time (13:10 GMT) on Sunday.

    Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as people clung on to the wreckage, waiting for rescue teams to save them.

    Some tried to swim to the banks of the river and managed to survive but many others were swept away by the fast-moving water.

    Rescuers conduct search operation after a suspension bridge collapsed on Sunday, in Morbi town in the western state of Gujarat, India, November 1, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.
    Rescue work on the river resumed on Tuesday morning

    The police on Monday said at least 141 people had been killed, but later revised that number to 135, without giving a reason for the updated toll.

    Officials said that most of victims were women, children and elderly people.

    On Monday, teams of disaster response workers and Indian military scoured the river in small boats, paddling through its muddy waters and the mangrove shrubs in search of the missing. Hundreds of locals too joined in the efforts, while distressed relatives searched for their loved ones.

    By evening, the rescuers had managed to recover 134 bodies. Search operations were paused for the night but resumed on Tuesday, with platoons of rescuers reaching the spot early morning.

    At least 170 people have been rescued so far. A police official present at the site told the BBC that they would continue the search until everyone was accounted for.

    Gujarat is the home state of Mr Modi, who said he was “deeply saddened by the tragedy”. The state government has announced a day of mourning in the state on Wednesday.

    Authorities have promised a full investigation after questions were raised about whether safety checks were done before the bridge was reopened.

    People carry coffins containing the bodies of the victims for their burial after a suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi town in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 31, 2022.
    Funerals for some of the victims have been taking place in Morbi

    Police say the nine people arrested are all associated with Oreva group, the firm contracted to maintain and operate the bridge.

    They include two managers, two ticket clerks, two contractors and three security guards for negligence leading to the tragedy.

    They are being investigated for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, senior police officer Ashok Kumar Yadav said.

    The firm has been accused of multiple lapses, including its alleged failure to get a fitness certificate from the municipality.

    Oreva has not responded to questions about the collapse. Some are asking if top-level managers in the company will also be investigated.

    The tragedy – the worst in the country in many years – has devastated the people of Morbi, a quaint little town known for its thriving ceramic industry.

    On Monday, two main crematoriums in the city were running full, even as a search for survivors continued. In cases where entire families were wiped out in the accident, locals took it upon themselves to perform their last rites.

    Meanwhile, several others were reportedly still missing on Tuesday.

    Siddique, who went to see the bridge with his friend, says he has been looking for him since Sunday night.

    “We were standing in the middle of the bridge when it broke. I clung on to a part of the broken bridge and somehow made my way out, but I don’t know where my friend is,” he says.

     

  • ‘How much money does Akufo-Addo owe you?’ – KKD asks Ofori-Atta

    Veteran broadcaster, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah (KKD), is wondering how much the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo owes his cousin, Ken Ofori-Atta, for which he cannot sack him from government.

    Speaking on Accra-based Joy News, the media personality claimed that the finance minister’s continuous stay in office could be due to the undisclosed debt.

    He stated that parliament in their quest to trigger a motion for a vote of censure on Ken Ofori-Atta, must also probe for any debt Akufo-Addo may be owing him.

    He noted that the finance minister’s performance in the current administration has been abysmal, therefore, he needs to be shown the exit.

    “Ken must go. Ken must go…How much money do you alone want to have? Why? Databank alone, how many of your staff are in government at the moment?

    “How much money does Nana Addo owe you? In fact, Parliament must ask this question … I think the President owes him.

    “Because if the President doesn’t owe him, what is it that is so beholding to this gentleman that with what he’s done with our economy, he is still allowed to be at post?” KKD asked in his interview.

    KKD’s concerns add to the consistent calls for the removal of the finance minister due to the current economic hardship the country is facing.

    These calls have become rife across both social and traditional media, with many accusing the Finance Minister of steering Ghana’s economy into a ditch.

    Members of the Minority have signed a motion for a vote of censure on Ken Ofori-Atta

    As part of their reasons, the minority cite the overall mismanagement of the economy and ethical concerns, among others.

    Parliament is yet to hear the motion with the Speaker having added it to this week’s order of business.

  • Thugs invade NDC headquarters, threaten deputy secretary

    Some group of persons reportedly stormed the National Headquarters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Adabraka on October 31, 2022.

    The group is said to have entered the third floor of the deputy general secretary, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and removed her prepaid meter.

    These individuals are also said to have threatened to deal with the Deputy General Secretary for ‘allegedly installing a prepaid meter in her office.

    In a press statement from the NDC signed by Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the leadership of the party condemned such actions adding that the party will take immediate steps to involve law enforcement agencies.

    “In the early hours of yesterday, Monday 31st October 2022, a group of persons managed to gain entry into the national headquarters of the National Democratic Congress at Adabraka in Accra.

    “Upon entering, the said group, clad in red and fuming with rage, entered the 3rd-floor office of the Deputy General Secretary, Hon. Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and removed a prepaid meter. Soon thereafter, the spokesman of the group addressed the crowd that accompanied him and threatened to deal with the Deputy General Secretary for allegedly installing a prepaid meter in her office,” the statement added.

    Below is the statement

    In the early hours of yesterday, Monday 31st October, 2022, a group of persons managed to gain entry into the national headquarters of the National Democratic Congress at Adabraka in Accra.

    Upon entering, the said group, clad in red and fuming with rage, entered the 3rd floor office of the Deputy General Secretary, Hon. Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and removed a prepaid meter. Soon thereafter, the spokesman of the group, addressed the crowd that accompanied him and threatened to deal with the Deputy General Secretary for allegedly installing a prepaid meter in her office.

    The Leadership of the NDC wish to condemn in no uncertain terms this blatant act of thuggery and criminality and will take immediate steps to involve the law enforcement agencies to deal with the miscreants and their sponsors.

    The party will take additional steps to identify all who entered the premises to carry out this dastardly act and to subject them to the disciplinary measures provided by the party’s constitution.

    No member of the party has any right whatsoever to attack any leader of the party at any level for whatever reason. Any attack on a national officer is an attack on the entire leadership of the party. And any of those elements who are party members will be dealt with without fear or favour in accordance with the laws of the party. LONG LIVE THE NDC! ISSUED IN ACCRA THIS TUESDAY 1st NOVEMBER

     

     

  • Itaewon crush: Five friends went out for Halloween; only two came home

    Seoul’s funeral homes are now filled with the bodies of young people and their heartbroken parents. At the end of a long corridor, Mr Sim and his wife sit crumpled on a small sofa, unable to lift their heads.

    Inside one of the rooms is the body of their son, 28-year-old James Sim. In the room next door is James’ friend Yoon. And in a funeral home across the city lies James’ girlfriend.

    They had gone to Itaewon together on Saturday night with two other friends to celebrate Halloween. James had organised the evening. “He was always the organiser, as he loved nights out with his friends,” his mother says.

    James was one of 155 people who died in the crowd crush as a narrow bar-lined alleyway became dangerously overcrowded. The first sign something had gone wrong came when his parents – like many others – awoke to find their son’s bed empty. James’ father got his friends to call him. The police answered.

    As they got caught in the deadly crush, two of the friends managed to claw their way through the crowd and up onto some railings at the edge of the alleyway. James, his girlfriend, and Yoon couldn’t make it out.

    James loved to exercise, and spent most of his spare time in the gym, lifting weights to bulk up, his mother says. She can’t understand how this did not save him.

    James’ relationship was getting serious, his father says. He and his girlfriend would have married soon – if they had survived. He worked as a plumber, a job he did diligently, but his passions were skiing and surfing. His mother’s eyes crease with a flicker of joy as she recounts what he loved to do, but his father’s close and tears fall.

    “James was the best older brother,” he recalls. “How is my younger son going to cope without him?

    James' dad
    James’ parents are not yet ready to blame anyone for the tragedy

    In the room, next to his coffin, sit half a dozen of his old schoolfriends. Park Ju-sung has known him the longest, since they were eight.

    “I was such a shy child,” Ju-sung says, “James was my only friend. He invited me to everything and encouraged me to take up taekwondo with him. He helped me become more outgoing.”

    James’ friend Yoon, whose coffin is in the next room, was grown-up beyond his 28 years and comfortable in his own company. He loved exploring. In the evenings, he used to go to bars alone and try to speak to foreigners so he could learn foreign languages, says Jung-su, who says he admired his confidence.

    More than half the victims were in their 20s and the trauma is being felt across this generation. This is the second disaster they have lived through. In 2014, 250 high school students died when a ferry sank off the southwest coast of the country. The high school students would have been in their 20s now.

    investigators
    Investigators are piecing together what happened

    At a large public altar, set up in the centre of Seoul, people gathered to mourn. Nineteen-year-old Kim Dae-hui laid a single white chrysanthemum, Korea’s flower of mourning, in tribute to his friend Raghu Jordagan, who was 21.

    He had moved to South Korea from Malaysia in January 2021. The pair had become friends after Raghu approached him on the street to compliment his style. He worked in construction to earn money for his family back home, but he was creative at heart and dreamed of being a fashion designer, said Dae-hui.

    They would hang out and listen to hip hop music and swap fashion tips. They were teaching each other their languages. “Raghu was more patient than me, he never got annoyed,” Dae-hi remembered, removing his glasses to allow his face to sink into his hands.

    Raghu had video-called him from the alley as the crush started. He was next to a young woman who was struggling to breathe. They stayed on the phone as Raghu tried to figure out how to escape. Then the woman’s hand went cold and Raghu hung up. This was the last Dae-hui heard from him.

    Kim Dae-hui
    Kim Dae-hui saw his friend Raghu on social media videos from the crush

    The next morning, he looked through the videos being shared on social media and saw the face of his friend in the crowd, pale and distressed. He convinced himself it wasn’t Rahgu, just someone similar looking. Then the police called. It seemed he had been pushed and trampled on, they said.

    Learning the names and the stories of the dead is making this tragedy even harder for people here to comprehend. They need answers, putting authorities under increasing pressure to establish exactly what went wrong and who is accountable.

    James’ parents are not ready to blame. “Our son was pushed, and he died. It was an accident. We have not thought who was responsible. We cannot think. All we can do is cry.”

  • Itaewon crush: South Korea police admit response was inadequate

    South Korea’s police chief has said crowd control during the Itaewon crush was “inadequate” – the first acknowledgement from officials that they did not do enough to prevent it.

    Amid growing calls for accountability, Yoon Hee-keun said he felt “limitless responsibility about public safety” over what happened.

    He vowed a full investigation.

    Interior Minister Lee Sang-min also apologised for the incident that killed 156 people and injured 152 others.

    It happened on Saturday night as crowds gathered in an alley in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul, to celebrate Halloween without restrictions for the first time since Covid.

    Mr Yoon said police had received numerous calls before the accident happened, alerting them to the seriousness of the situation, but their response was lacking.

    Seoul police have told the BBC the first call to South Korea‘s emergency number came at 18:34 local time – hours before the deadly crush reportedly began – and there were 10 more calls over the next three-and-a-half hours.

    The police chief said the police response was “disappointing”. They would conduct a “speedy and rigorous intensive investigation” to see if proper action was taken after receiving the calls, and if officers had reacted appropriately.

    In a National Assembly meeting, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min made an apology to citizens. “It is very sad for me as a father who has a son and daughter… it is difficult to express in words how unreal this situation is, and it is difficult to accept this situation,” he said.

    Mr Yoon and Mr Lee’s comments follow growing public demands for accountability. But other authorities have sought to portray it as an accident which could not be easily blamed on anyone.

    notes near the scene
    Notes left near the scene say the crush should never have happened

    The police earlier said they deployed more officers for this year’s Halloween festivities than they did for pre-Covid parties.

    One congressman on Tuesday also pointed out that because there was no main organiser for the party, there had been no special requests made to the police for crowd control and safety management.

    “It’s impossible to ask for legal responsibility, as nobody was responsible,” said Yoo Sang-bum, who is with the ruling People’s Power Party, on local radio.

    Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appeared to echo this line later at a foreign media briefing, saying it was “difficult to have safety control in advance” for an incident without an organiser.

    He said the government would review the issue of accountability only after a thorough investigation into the causes.

    But President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Tuesday the incident revealed the importance of crowd management and a lack of research in South Korea on the subject.

    “Rather than nitpicking about whether the event had an organiser or not, it’s the people’s safety that’s important, and we need to come up with thorough measures,” he said, while suggesting the use of drones and other digital capabilities to manage crowds in future events.

    President Yoon had been facing mounting political pressure and plummeting ratings even before the incident. Police have said they had to redirect some of their resources to elsewhere in the city on Saturday night to manage huge protests against the government.

     

     

  • Ukraine war: Putin suspends Black Sea grain exports deal

    President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is suspending – but not ending – its participation in a deal that allows safe passage to vessels carrying Ukrainian grain exports.

    Moscow pulled out of the UN-brokered agreement on Saturday, alleging that Ukraine had used a safety corridor in the Black Sea to attack its fleet.

    The UN says there were no ships inside the corridor that night.

    Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deal would be honoured and accused Russia of “blackmailing the world with hunger” – a claim Russia denies.

    Despite the fallout, 12 ships containing 354,500 tons of food, including grain, left Ukraine’s Black Sea ports on Monday, Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry said. This constituted a record volume of exports since the grain deal began, said a spokesperson for Odesa’s military administration quoted by Reuters.

    One of the vessels carrying 40,000 tons of grain was destined for Ethiopia, where “the real possibility of mass starvation” existed, the infrastructure ministry added.

    After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its navy imposed a blockade on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, trapping about 20 million tonnes of grain meant for export inside the country, along with other foodstuffs such as maize and sunflower oil.

    But in July, a deal between Ukraine and Russia was brokered by Turkey and the UN, agreeing to resume grain exports through the Black Sea ports.

    On Monday, however, President Putin said the deal was being suspended, citing the “massive” drone attack on its fleet in Crimea that he alleged Kyiv was responsible for.

    He said maritime safety must be ensured and that implementing grain exports under such conditions were too risky.

    “Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threats to civilian vessels,” Mr Putin said in a televised address.

    Kyiv has not admitted responsibility for the attack, saying Moscow had long planned to abandoned the internationally-brokered deal and used the attack as a pretext to do so.

    “In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and it takes on a different character – much more risky, dangerous and unguaranteed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

    Russia’s withdrawal from the deal has been condemned by the US, who said Moscow was “weaponising food”.

    The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has urged Russia to reverse its decision, saying jeopardising the export of grain and fertilisers would impact the global food crisis.

    The Russian ambassador to the US has rejected accusations that his country was exacerbating a global food crisis, saying it was unfair to criticise Russia.

    The suspension comes as Russia says it has expanded its evacuations of the occupied Kherson region, despite stating over the weekend that these had come to an end.

    Chart showing Ukraine export crops as % of total for each crop

  • After begging for power, Akufo-Addo doesn’t respect public opinion – Haruna Iddrisu

    President Akufo-Addo and his government do not respect public opinion, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has observed citing recent pronouncements by the president.

    Iddrisu stated in an interview on Joy FM, on October 31, 2022, that it was unacceptable that a president who is on record to have pleaded with voters to try him will turn out to be disrespectful of public opinion.

    His comment was in respect of Akufo-Addo’s retort earlier his month that he was not moved by threats of some people to vote against the New Patriotic Party, NPP.

    “President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s biggest headache is, he is just disrespecting public opinion and he does so at his own peril. This is the first time I am seeing a government just simply not respect public opinion…

    “He has forgotten that he used to beg, that vote for me, try me. They’ve voted for you, they’ve tried you now you are saying that you are not going to hold people’s hand into a ballot room?” Haruna Iddrisu asked rhetorically.

    What exactly did Akufo-Addo say?

    The president was answering a question by an OTEC FM journalist over threats by people of the two areas to vote against the NPP. “No problem, no problem,” Akufo-Addo is heard saying.

    He continued: “I am saying people make those kinds of threats, me, they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, somebody supports you, it is because they want you to do things for them, so I understand that.

    “There is no need for people to say if I do not do it, this or that. That is your own problem. Of course, I will fulfil my promises.

    “But if it so happens that you decide to vote for the NDC, that is your problem, that is not mine. Nobody will hold your hand to thumbprint for any candidate, the most important thing is that I understand the responsibility and we will deal with it,” he stressed.

  • I saw an angry Akufo-Addo during his address – Ato Forson

    Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, has indicated the president’s posture during his address on Sunday, October 30, was that of a man who was very angry.

    According to him, Akufo-Addo clearly indicated that he was not ready to solve the economic challenges that the country is currently facing.

    Dr. Ato Forson noted in an interview on Joy News which was monitored by GhanaWeb that the president did a poor job of asking Ghanaians to rally behind him during these difficult times.

    The Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam MP is of the view that the address of the president was long overdue.

    “Unfortunately, the President waited too long to address the nation, and even when he decided to address the nation, his posturing alone wasn’t good enough. Watching the President, I saw someone who was angry, but I did not see someone who was ready to solve a problem. The body language is everything so I was more interested in his body language and I saw an angry man.

    “Your people are in crisis, their livelihood is at stake. People are struggling to have three square meals a day; they’re looking up to you as the President. You don’t come threatening them because some of them are rumour mongering.

    “You come obviously by talking to them in a way that they can buy your message. I think whoever wrote that speech if it’s himself, did a very poor job, if it’s another person, whoever did that job must go because actually, the people of Ghana were waiting for that master stroke but it did not come out as such,” Dr. Ato Forson stated while commenting on the address.

    To him, the president’s address should have announced some immediate actions being taken to curb the fiscal issues, including some alleviation plans to help support the most vulnerable in society.

    The MP noted such a statement of hope would have earned the support of Ghanaians instead of their ire and ridicule.

    “Let me tell you something…if the President had come and had announced to the people of Ghana to say ‘yes, because of the crisis A, B, C and D, I’m relieving 40 of my ministers or 30 of my ministers’ it’s a big signal. It tells the people of Ghana that this man means business.

    “It calms the nerves of everyone. Quantify it and say that I’m making savings of ABCD and I’m going to put these savings into, say LEAP to support the elderly. The people of Ghana want to see things like this,” Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson observed.

     

  • Akufo-Addo should have rather used ‘L’argent n’a pas d’odeur’ – KKD

    A veteran broadcaster, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah (KKD), has expressed disappointment in President Akufo-Addo’s use of the term, ‘l’argent n’aime pas du bruit,’ to wit, ‘money does not like noise,’ during his recent address to the nation.

    According to the broadcaster, being a man of language, if the president wanted to appeal to the emotions of Ghanaians, he should have rather used the French phrase, ‘l’argent n’a pas d’odeur,’ to wit, ‘money has no odour.’

    Speaking during an interview on JoyNews on Monday, October 31, 2022, and monitored by GhanaWeb, KKD explained that what President Akufo-Addo said is not factual.

    “All of culture is embedded in language, and when he said it, I felt heartbroken because that was the statement to the populace who are speculating about where we are going and how the cedi is performing badly. He thinks if you talk down the money, then the money would go down. No! that’s not true,” he said.

    He continued that if by the translation of what the president said in French, he meant that he has no problem with money, then he should have rather used a more appropriate one.

    “If you talk down Joy FM, Joy FM will not come tumbling down so long as they have success criteria and are working assiduously to ensure that the success criteria is in place.

    “You know, as a French scholar too, I think the better one he could have used is what is actually about his governance, which is ‘l’argent n’a pas d’odeur’: ‘sika nni panpan’, because if you look at in Kufuor’s regime, a man who was known to be corrupt, eventually was appointed by Nana Addo to become the head of the Public Procurement Authority, then it tells you that he has no problem with money, no matter the smell of it,” he said.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and, particularly, the Minister of Finance, have come under a lot of recent pressure over the management of the economy, which has seen many indicators looking bad for the country.

    For example, the Ghana cedi has fallen by approximately 50% against the US dollar in the last ten months.

    This has been coupled with inflationary pressures which have seen Ghana record a rate of 37.2 percent in September 2022 – the highest in about 20 decades.

    The current economic challenges have culminated in job losses, worker agitations, rising costs of living, and general frustration among the populace.

     

     

  • Removal of Ofori-Atta won’t solve Ghana’s problems – Joe Jackson

    Joe Jackson, a financial analyst with Dalex Finance, has stated the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, won’t solve Ghana’s current economic hardships.

    According to him, real change will happen only after the entire process of managing the economy and problematic policies are given a second look.

    Speaking on Accra-based TV3, in an interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Mr Jackson explained “the most important thing we can do today is cut the size of government, send a signal to all of us that we are prepared to face our problems.

    “If we change the people and we don’t challenge the policies, we don’t change the process, if we don’t change the thinking, nothing will change. I wish that those backbenchers had not just demanded somebody be changed but some people completely removed.

    “It is not handing over from Ofori-Atta or Charles Adu Boahen to another person who will do the same thing.”

    Some members of the Majority caucus on Tuesday, October 25 demanded the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State at the Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.

    The MP’s during a press conference stated “we are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the President changes the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State in the Finance Ministry without further delay.”

    “We want to serve notice, and notice is hereby served that until such persons as aforementioned are made to resign or removed from office, we members of the Majority Caucus here in Parliament will not participate in any business of Government by or, for the president by any other Minster,” leader of the bloc, Andy Appiah-Kubi, Asante-Akyem North MP said.

    After a subsequent meeting with President Akufo-Addo, it emerged that the president had appealed for some time for his embattled ministers especially as Ghana is negotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the 2023 budget is also being compiled.

     

  • COPEC predicts further increases in fuel prices

    The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has predicted a 10 percent increase in prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) with petrol and diesel likely to see an increase between GHS 3 and GHS 8 effective Tuesday, November 1, 2022.

    COPEC says this has been as a result of the international price movements of petroleum products.

    Currently, some Oil Marketing Companies are selling petrol at GHS 17 while diesel sells at GHS 19.

    “We are certain that one of the key things confronting the generality of Ghanaians currently has to do with fuel prices that keep increasing week in, week out. As of October 28, we were doing an average GHS 14 for petrol while diesel was averaging between GHS 17 to GHS 19 a litre,” says Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah.

    The government has currently assured that steps are being taken to “secure reliable and regular sources of affordable petroleum products”, to bring reprieve to consumers of the product.

    “Government is working to secure reliable and regular sources of affordable petroleum products for the Ghanaian market. It is expected that this arrangement, when successful, coupled with a stable currency will halt the escalation of fuel prices and bring relief to us all,” President Akufo-Addo assured.

    Industry players have warned of tougher times ahead as prices of petroleum products continue to increase.

    In an interaction with Citi News, the Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah said there is likely to be a further increase effective Tuesday.

    “Most of us expected that, the presidential address will attempt some urgent solutions to the situation we find ourselves in with respect to forex and ways to bring down prices. Unfortunately, the only bit we heard was that we are going to explore fuel from cheaper places, we do not have the details. To say that we are not probably out of the woods yet as far as fuel price increases will be an understatement. On Tuesday, expectations within the downstream market could go up again.”

  • Debt restructuring: Assurance of no haircuts covers principal – Oppong-Nkrumah

    As Ghana considers some debt restructuring, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, has clarified that the president’s assurances of no haircuts with respect to money invested in bonds cover just the principals for the time being.

    “My understanding is that no principals will be touched. No principals will have a haircut,” Mr. Nkrumah said on the Citi Breakfast Show.

    The minister however added that “the debt sustainability strategy is yet to be announced in full.”

    “When they are done with the rest of the strategy, and they come out and do a full announcement, we will have clarity on the form that the debt restructuring will take,” he said.

    The concerns over debt restructuring have accompanied the government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout.

    As to the fate of interest expected on the principals, Mr. Nkrumah said, “I think we should give them time to come out and announce the full details of the debt sustainability strategy.”

    The minister further said the president’s assurances, which came via an address on Ghana’s economic crisis, were in response to rumours about haircuts on principals.

    Ghana’s talks with the IMF mission are expected to resume in the coming weeks as the government works to manage its almost GHS 400 million debt.

    Moving forward, to address the debt situation, the president said the government plans to reduce the total public debt to GDP ratio to about 55 in present value terms by 2028, with the servicing of external debt pegged at not more than 18 percent of annual revenue also by 2028.

    It is expected that the government will have to restructure the debt to make it more sustainable in order to qualify for the $3 billion support from the IMF.

    The Finance Ministry recently said it is committed to reaching an agreement with the IMF as soon as possible.

    The government is optimistic that it will have a deal in place before the 2023 budget is read next month.

  • Cedi depreciation: Too much cedis chasing dollar – Isaac Adongo

    The Deputy Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, Isaac Adongo, has stated that the Bank of Ghana is to blame for the Ghana cedi’s depreciation.

    According to him, the printing of new notes is the reason the cedi has been falling in recent times.

    He noted that when the money supply is high, the cedi keeps falling.

    “The key issues have to do with the failure of the Bank of Ghana. The Bank of Ghana is entrusted with the responsibility for price stability. The Bank of Ghana has the responsibility to maintain what we call the Inflationary Targeting Framework, which is built around making sure that the government does not unnecessarily borrow from the Bank of Ghana to finance the budget,” he is quoted by citinewsroom.com.

    Adongo stated that the Bank of Ghana has been printing more money in recent times in a bid to finance government expenditures.

    “Last year, the Bank of Ghana lent to the government about GH¢35 billion. By May this year, it lent an extra GH¢22 billion. This has put a lot of money into the economy. These monies are monies that are chasing the dollar everywhere. Once there is so much cedi chasing the dollar, the dollar has to run faster to save itself. This is why we are here. The Bank of Ghana has failed in all forms, and I am surprised people are pushing for the sacking of Ken Ofori-Atta and not Mr. Addison. Both of them have teamed up to derail our economy and compromise our future,” he said.

  • Tipper truck runs over mother of seven at Offinso

    A mother of seven children has been killed in a gory accident on the Offinso – Aboffour highway.

    Three others sustained severe injuries in that same accident.

    The deceased identified as Sister Naomi, 38, reportedly died when a trailer with a full load run over her on the highway.

    The sad incident, according to an eye witness, occurred when the deceased together with her friends were on their way to Aboffour market on Thursday October 27, 2022.

    An eyewitness, Daniel Offei in an interview with OTEC News Kwame Agyenim Boateng narrated how the incident occurred, “the deceased boarded a tricycle (aboboyaa) from Offinso Samproso to Aboffour for trading activities”

    “Naomi is said to have fallen from the tricycle after its tyre burst leaving her in the middle of the road, the trailer which was on a top speed run over the deceased killing her on the spot”

    The driver of the trailer who’s yet to be identified is currently in the grips of the police assisting investigations.

    The body of the deceased has been conveyed to the mortuary by police officers from Offinso who came to restore calm at the scene.

  • Are you happy that an MP is going around dancing on TikTok? – Kamal-Deen to NDC MPs

    A New Patriotic Party (NPP) Deputy National Communications Director, Kamal-Deen Abdullai, has berated Members of Parliament (MP) of the minority caucus for blocking the impeachment of their colleague MP for Dome-Kwabenya Sarah Adwoa Safo.

    Kamal-Deen said that the MPs by their actions were doing a lot of disservice to Ghanaians because they are protecting an MP who is being paid for no work.

    He added that the excuse by National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs that Adwoa Safo should be given a chance to explain her absence does not hold water.

    He explained that the MP had refused to appear before the Privileges Committee of the House to give reasons for her absence.

    “Ghana seeks to develop, the constituents of Adwoa Safo are supposed to be served better. Are we happy with what you are seeing? Let us put the law aside and ask ourselves objectively, the people are supposed to have representation in Parliament, through no fault of theirs, their Member of Parliament is somewhere and running on social media … singing and dancing.

    “… we sit here and say use the law. We are going to use the law alright but I am asking, are we not short-changing the people of Dome-Kwabenya? Aren’t we?” he said in a Good Morning Ghana interview monitored by GhanaWeb.

    The NPP communicator further stated that the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, ruling that Adwoa Safo fate is to be decided by the plenary after Privileges Committee indicated that she should be removed was wrong.

    He added that the NPP will be exploring all the legal options available to get the NPP removed.

    Alban Bagbin, on October 26, 2022, gave a ruling that the report of the committee set up to look into the case of the MP and two others who absented themselves for a number of sittings should be presented before the whole house to be debated.

    He, therefore, dismissed the objection of the Majority Leader to the admissibility of the committee report for the consideration of the house.

    “As I have noted in this ruling, the decision (sic) on not to admit a motion is the exclusive preserve of the Speaker. In view of the foregoing, the House is well within its right to receive and consider reports of the committee and make a determination arising out of the consideration.

    “In the circumstances, it is my ruling that the motion was rightfully admitted and the report of the committee is subject to the consideration of the house. It goes without saying that the (sic) objection of the Majority Leader today (sic) is hereby dismissed…” he concluded his verdict.

  • NIA shuts down Ghana card centre at El-Wak Sports Stadium

    The National Identification Authority (NIA) will on Monday (31 October) close down its special service centre at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra.

    “Applicants requesting update and card replacement services should visit the nearest NIA district or regional office,” the NIA announced on Friday.

    “All applicants yet to pick up their cards having successfully undergone an update or card replacement process before the closure should do so at the NIA Greater Accra regional office, located at PWD, Kinbu.

    “Applicants requesting the card verification service should visit the NIA head office at Shiashie, Accra. For further information and assistance, kindly call 0302 999 306.”

    The NIA on 28 March this year moved the update of personal records, verification and replacement of cards to the El-Wak Stadium. That move came a few days after a stampede at the premises of the National Identification Authority headquarters in Accra led to one person being rushed to the hospital, reports the Daily Graphic.

    The Ghana Card is the primary and sole identity card for sim re-registration and for other official requirements in state and some private institutions.

  • South Africa will adopt Ghana’s 1D1F programme, says high commissioner

    The South African high commissioner to Ghana, Grace Jeanet Mason, has said her country is ready to adopt  Ghana’s One District One Factory (1D1F) programme to enhance industralisation at the district level.

    Mason said the 1D1F programme provides a great opportunity for a thorough industrialisation drive.

    She said South Africa will continue to collaborate with Ghana to improve bilateral trade under the

    The South African high commissioner to Ghana, Grace Jeanet Mason, has said her country is ready to adopt  Ghana’s One District One Factory (1D1F) programme to enhance industralisation at the district level.

    Mason said the 1D1F programme provides a great opportunity for a thorough industrialisation drive.

    She said South Africa will continue to collaborate with Ghana to improve bilateral trade under the AfCFTA.

    Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (31 October), Mason said, “… when the president [Ramaphosa] was here [Ghana] in December, we had conversations on the successes that we see as South Africa in the One District One Factory (1D1F).”

    “That is something, that we as South Africa, will then adopt as well to look at our district level, how we continue to industrialise because that is part of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”

    The high commissioner said South Africa will continue to leverage Ghana’s comparative advantage in agriculture for the growth of the continent.

    “So those are the comparative advantages and opportunities that we will leverage, amidst the current economic situation,” she added.

    .

    Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (31 October), Mason said, “… when the president [Ramaphosa] was here [Ghana] in December, we had conversations on the successes that we see as South Africa in the One District One Factory (1D1F).”

    “That is something, that we as South Africa, will then adopt as well to look at our district level, how we continue to industrialise because that is part of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”

    The high commissioner said South Africa will continue to leverage Ghana’s comparative advantage in agriculture for the growth of the continent.

    “So those are the comparative advantages and opportunities that we will leverage, amidst the current economic situation,” she added.

  • For how long will you continue to Blame Russia-Ukraine? – Lawyer Tamekloe quizzes Akufo Addo

    A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team, Edudzi Tameklo, has said the president missed an opportunity to address the plight of Ghanaians during his update on Ghana’s economy on October 30.

    According to him, Akufo-Addo has failed as a leader as he has continuously blamed COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine as the cause of Ghana’s economic woes.

    Speaking in an interview on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abi show, Edudzi Tameklo said, “Akufo-Addo missed an opportunity. Akufo-Addo had a glorious opportunity to bring Ghanaians together to solve the current economic crisis, unfortunately, he missed that opportunity so we are back to square one. Leadership is not an easy task so I won’t downplay it, but as a leader, the last person it rests with is Akufo-Addo. But how long can our president continue with blame game, how long will our president continue to blame COVID-19, Ukraine-Russia?. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on October 30, addressed the nation on some measures taken to curb the current economic crisis and cedi depreciation.

    During his address, he said the country was making headway after COVID-19 until the Russia-Ukraine war emerged to disrupt the progress achieved.

    He said, “we had done it before, and we were on course to do it again. Ghana’s economy grew by a remarkable 5.4% in 2021, signifying a strong recovery from the 0.5% growth recorded the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, in the last quarter of 2021, our economy grew at seven percent (7%), only for the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the first quarter of this year to aggravate the effects of COVID-19, and plunge the global economy into even greater turmoil from which it has not yet recovered.”

    It was based on this Edudzi Tameklo quizzed why the president keeps referring to the things he has already mentioned and attributing them as reason the country is plunged into economic crisis instead of taking pragmatic steps to solve the issues.

     

  • Takoradi teacher invents a humanoid robot for teaching and learning

    Augustine Owusu Mensah, a science teacher at St. Matthias R/C JHS, New Takoradi, has invented a humanoid robot to enhance teaching and learning in his community.

    St. Matthias R/C JHS is located in Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly in the Western Region of Ghana.

    Augustine used ordinary materials such as pieces of wood, metals, and some parts of spoiled computers and wires to build this human-like robot. He gathered these materials with his students and built the machine in three weeks. This is interesting and smart.

    The most astounding part is that the robot can answer any question provided the question is answerable. It can be used to solve mathematical problems, science, English, Social Studies and many more. Also, it can be used in quiz competitions such as spelling bees, Mathematics, Science and the like. It is highly powerful.

    With this, teachers, professors, scientists, students, companies, sports analysts, doctors etc can use the robot in their research. The robot is able to communicate with humans perfectly and also solve vital problems.

    Augustine uses this intelligent robot to teach. This makes his lessons very enthusiastic and captivating. Indeed, this science teacher is taking Ghana education to a new level through science and technology. Ghana and Africa will be extremely proud of this great achievement. Check out his video.